Copyright Laws

Awareness: I have been aware of copyright laws, but before this course I did not sit down and study them. In the past I assumed that educators and teachers were always protected by the fair use guidelines. I also assumed, in order for a teacher to be prosecuted for breaking copyright laws they would have to really be abusive of them.

Explore/Filter: After reading the copyright section in our textbook, I know that I must be aware of what the laws are and try my best to be ethical. I must read and re-read Section 107 of the 1976 Copyright Act on a yearly basis to ensure that I do not violate any copyright laws intentionally.

Learning: In reading the copyright laws on government websites and chapter five of our textbook, I was reminded of what I can legally use and how much of the material I can reproduce to better educate my students. In addition, I also learned In contrast to other professions “The Education Act” entrusts teachers with more flexibility in the use of copyrighted materials.

Application: As a teacher and possibly a future administrator, it is imperative that I stay informed with the laws concerning copyrighting. Since teachers are looked upon by society as role models, they must do their best to stay in compliance with copyright laws.

Reflection: As a teacher, this module was very important because it reminded me of the possibility of unintentionally breaking copyright laws. Due to the advancement of technology in the classroom I also am aware of the changes that are going occur concerning the revision of laws dealing with copyright issues in the classroom. I just have to try my best to stay current with the revisions.

Below are some of the sights that were very helpful to me.


****http://www.copyright.gov/****

****http://www.pbs.org/teachers/copyright/****